Behind the Obvious

... is often that which is even more so.

It seems that Christine Judd, the Athletic Director and Dean of Students at Cathedral High School in Springfield, Massachusetts, is, according to MassLive.com, an open lesbian. But imagine the raised eyebrows when she "married" her long-time partner. (Stay with me, now.) If someone is in a teaching position in a Catholic school, and living a lifestyle out in the open that is contrary to the teachings of the Church, they shouldn't be burned at the stake, but their removal should be no surprise to anyone.

Kristin of 11 On My Own gauges the reaction:

Almost 4500 people commented on this story. I obviously didn't read all of them, but of the several on the first page, here's the best and the worst:

Isn't the rite of marriage supposed to be a sacrament????? Why is this woman being denied that sacrament?

Screw tolerance, marriage is before God, she is living against His teachings.

Actually, there were many that were worse, but not suitable for my blog. Most had to do with the intolerance of the Catholic Church, how we prefer pedophiles to gays, and how the pope dresses like Lady Gaga.

Once again, one has to wonder if our Church is the only organization in the world that is not being "tolerated."

What is astonishing to me, is that no one saw this coming, and waited until it was a source of public embarrassment before taking any action. The students recently gathered at a rally to show their support for her. Why wouldn't they? Her lifestyle (including a concerted effort toward an obviously male appearance, which is not prerequisite for a woman's athletic prowess) would have been no secret to them, thus the school has effectively been telling them for years that it was okay. In the eyes of the students, the school is not acting out of conviction, but because they got caught. Why shouldn't the students consider the school to be hypocritical? And while everybody wraps themselves in the mantle of orthodoxy, the students will walk away with the real message here: Doing the right thing only matters when everyone is watching.

On the bright side, Christine Judd is no dummy.

“I knew the risks every day of my life working at Cathedral,” Judd said. “I always had the understanding, one day it would be time to leave Cathedral because of this.”

It's not repentance, but it's a start. And probably the reason why she has no plans to sue the diocese.

Say what you will about her, she is worth praying for. I hope things work out for her. There but for the grace of God ...
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